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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28136736">When You Were Mine</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/SiredToFandoms/pseuds/SiredToFandoms'>SiredToFandoms</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>N/A - Fandom</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>M/M, Original Story - Freeform</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 15:08:47</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>7,129</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28136736</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/SiredToFandoms/pseuds/SiredToFandoms</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Yeah let’s just go with it</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Darius/Eden, Darius/Emric</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>When You Were Mine</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Darius (and American soldier) and Emric (a British soldier) were prisoners of war, held captive in the 1990s/2000s by a group called the Axford Society and were declared MIA. For five years, they were subject to horrific torture and treatment. The enemy forces had devised an injection that, once the person was injected, gave a person short-term, inhuman healing abilities. The Axfords were testing how far said healing went via ‘surgical procedures’.</strong><br/>
<strong>During their stay, Darius and Emric became extremely close. They were the only two test subjects, so they became fast friends. In 2003, they devised a plan to escape that they attempted to carry out New Years’ Day 2004. The plan failed. Darius escaped but, in order to do so, he had to leave Emric for dead.</strong><br/>
<strong>(When captured, Emric was 19 and Darius was 21)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Now, it’s 2019, fifteen years since Darius’ escape. Three days ago, Darius’ girlfriend, who joined the Army two years ago, was captured by the Axfords as another one of their test subjects.</strong>
</p><p><strong>Darius- ex-captive, Army lieutenant (41 y/o)</strong><br/>
Emric- Army corporal (39 y/o)<br/>
<strong>Santiago- Darius’ younger brother, in the Army, doesn’t know that Darius was captured, believes he was just missing (38 y/o)</strong><br/>
<strong>Eden- Darius’ girlfriend, she too is in the Army, believes the same as Santiago (38 y/o)</strong><br/>
<strong>Claire and Aiden- Darius and Santiago’s friends, also in the Army</strong><br/>
<strong>Katerina- Darius’ manipulative ex, broke up in 1998, Santiago believes Darius was still in love with her until he met Eden</strong></p><p>Darius paced back and forth in the living room of the medical base. Santiago, Claire and Aiden had gone to retrieve Eden from Axford as part of the rescue team. Darius had wanted to go, but he was too afraid to go back to that place. The five years he spent there in the '90s was enough for him, thank you very much. Just the thought of that place made his chest constrict and sent a bubble of nausea rise within him. </p><p>Darius chewed his thumb nail as he paced back and forth, anxiously waiting for his brother and girlfriend to return. He was just about to pour himself a glass of water when he heard a military van pull up outside the door. He flung the door open just in time to see that Santiago and Eden were getting out of the van. Even from the porch, Darius could hear them arguing. Relief flooded through him until he realised what they were arguing about. </p><p>"...to go back! We can't just leave him there!" Eden shouted, slamming the car door. "Eden, we only just got you out of there, we are not going back!" Santiago answered. "Whoa... what's going on here?" Darius asked as Santiago and Eden merely brushed past him and continued into the MedBay. "There was someone else in the cell next to mine, Darius. A man." Darius’ stomach dropped. This could not be possible. "What?" He choked. Neither Eden nor Santiago picked up on his astonishment. "Yeah, he was British, he said his name was... Emric, or something like that." Darius could've sworn his heart actually stopped for a few seconds. "E- Emric?" He stammered. "Yeah." Eden replied, looking at Darius suspiciously. </p><p>Darius felt himself go pale. How was that possible? Emric died in 2004... didn't he? "What... did he tell you when he was brought in?" He asked Eden urgently. Both Santiago and Eden shared a confused glance. "No, not really. Only that he'd been there a long time, since the... 90s? I think?. He said he had a friend at one point, another prisoner, but that he escaped and left Emric for dead... Emric forgave him eventually, but he never got over it." Darius gasped. Emric... forgave him?</p><p>Darius staggered back a bit in shock and Santiago grabbed his upper arm to steady him. "Whoa, Darius. You okay?" Darius shook his head and, with a little of Santiago’s help, walked further into the medical room, collapsing onto one of the beds. Eden and Santiago followed suit, occupying another bed opposite him. "Eden..." Darius began, looking at the girl in question. "...tell me everything you know about Axford and Emric."</p><p>Eden knew quite a lot. Emric had told her his friend was there 1999-2004, that they formed a plan to escape but the friend bailed on him. She was told about how close they'd gotten, how they'd comforted each other after each day of torture. She was told how Emric’s friend had waited for his brother to find and rescue them, only for that to never happen. She knew about what the Axford Society did, what they had done to Emric and his friend in the past. She had seen the other patient's subject number, initials and ’99 carved into the wall, but hadn't known what it meant. "I assumed it was Emric’s friend, but when I asked of his name, Emric wouldn't tell me." </p><p>Darius sat in total silence for a long time. Emric was alive. That meant that Darius had left him at the hands of Axford. A fresh wave of guilt washed over him. He'd been left alone, tortured every day of his life and Darius had had no idea. At least before, when Darius didn't know Emric had survived, Darius had the small comfort that at least Emric had died and not had to suffer through the horrors of he Society alone. "Darius." Darius suddenly became aware of Santiago crouched in front of him, waving a hand in front of his face. Darius blinked and mentally shook himself. "We gotta to back." He choked. </p><p>"What?" Santiago said, dropping his hand and standing back up. "Darius, we just got Eden out of there, which you were unwilling to help with, now you want to do back for a stranger?" Darius looked eyes with his brother. "He ain't a stranger, San." Then, he stood and turned to Eden. "'D.S. 21051. ‘99.' Think about it." Eden nodded; then gasped, her eyes widening in sudden realisation. "Oh my god!" Santiago came to stand next to Darius, looking between his brother and best friend. "What?" Eden sat up straight in her seat. </p><p>"'D.S.'! Darius Sachwell!" Santiago’s face went several shades lighter. </p><p>"Darius, please tell me she's wrong." He said. Darius looked over at his brother. "She's right. I was Emric’s friend. Patient number 21051. I left him to die and, all this time, I thought he was such. Like I said, brother. We gotta go back. Ain't no way in hell I'm leaving him a second time." If possible, Santiago went even paler. Darius ignored it. "We leave tomorrow morning."</p><p>
  <strong>The next day:</strong>
</p><p>"You bastard!" Darius roared as he smashed his way around the all-too-familiar 'experiment' room. The gurney was tipped over, glass jars that contained things that Darius didn't want to think about smashed, their contents going everywhere. Needles, scalpels and other surgical tools were scattered all over the tiled floor. What Darius was not expecting to see, however, was the original Doctor Watkins, and he froze. Watkins grinned maliciously up at him from where Darius had shoved him to the ground. </p><p>"Hello, 21051. To answer your... unspoken question, I managed to survive the fire you started on your way out and, as I’m sure by your presence you already know, I took your little boyfriend with me." Darius launched himself at Watkins, but Santiago held him back. "I'll tie him up, you get Emric." His brother said hurriedly when Darius glared at him. Darius looked around the room at the other dead doctors, shared an affirmative look with Santiago and then began walking the painstakingly familiar route down to the cells. </p><p>"Emric?" Darius called as he pushed the creaking door open "Emric?" He said, his voice a tad softer. He walked slowly, carefully down the block until he heard the voice he never thought he'd hear again. "You sure as hell know how to make an entrance." That was all it took for Darius to sprint down to Emric’s cell, not even sparing his own a glance. "Oh my god." Emric looked so much older, rougher and thinner than Darius had ever seen him. "You've got food?" Emric croaked, looking hopeful. Darius pulled a bag of food and a bottle of water out of his bag and tossed them through the bars at Emric. The younger man was like a kid on Christmas morning with the way he tore into the extremely full food bags and gulped down every last drop of water. "Come on, let's get you out of here... then we can have some real fun." Darius said with a cheery smile. </p><p>"Emric.. this is my, erm... girlfriend, Eden. I believe you've met her. Darius said. It was late evening in the MedBag. Darius and Emric had dumped Watkins in one of their own cells, then left so that Emric could eat and drink properly for the first time in twenty years. They would get to work on questioning Watkins tomorrow. "'Girlfriend', huh?" Emric  said as he shook Eden’s hand. "Say... do you remember when you were mine Darius?" Darius gulped as Santiago and Eden’s jaws dropped. </p><p>"What?" Santiago gasped. Emric smirked as they all sat on the couches, Darius looking grim. "Oh, yes. Darius and I weren't just friends during our stay at Axford... we fell in love." That time, Santiago actually choked on the coffee he was trying to drink. "Wha- hold on. What about Katerina?" He spluttered. Darius scoffed.<br/>
"In a place like that? I barely spared her a thought, just enough to describe her to Emric." Emric chuckled.<br/>
"In horrific detail." He said, making Darius smile. "Darius and I knew everything about each other, it was pretty difficult not to fall."</p><p>
  <strong>March 2001:</strong>
</p><p>"I love you, Darius Sachwell." Darius looked up from where he was sat with his back against the wall and head in his hands. "W-What?" He stammered, looking at Emric through the bars separating their cells. The younger man was smiling broadly, almost as thought he was admiring Darius. "You heard me. I love you." Emric said. Darius’ heart leaped. He had waited far too long to hear those words come from Emric’s mouth. "I... I love you too, Emric St. Mesa." Darius said, his face cracking into a wide grin. Emric smiled back at him, both men glad they had finally just confessed their mutual feelings. </p><p>
  <strong>August 2001:</strong>
</p><p>The second Darius’ cell door opened, Emric all but bounded over to Darius and enveloped him in a tight bear hug. "You get this for one week, to assess the changes in your behaviours... make the most of it." They heard Doctor Watkins say. The cell door closed and locked but neither man noticed, nor cared. Each man was inhaling the other's masculine scent, bathing in the feel of one body pressed against another. "I never thought we'd get this." Emric whispered into Darius’ ear a long time later, his arms still wrapped tightly around the older man’s waist. "Neither did I." Darius whispered back, then pulled away and smiled, then closed the distance between them entirely, their lips pressing together for the first time in a sweet, passionate kiss.</p><p>
  <strong>June 2002:</strong>
</p><p>"What do you think we should do when we get out of here?" Emric blurted out one night after they'd both had a particularly rough day. "I think we should go on the trip of a lifetime. See the world, do all the things we can only dream of in here." Darius replied wistfully. The men were silent for a few minutes, each thinking about what kind of things they would do if they were free. "We should go to New York. At Christmas, when everything is decorated." Darius said after a while of deep thought. "Yeah, I've never been there. Well I did, but a shooting happened while I was there, so we left early.” Darius scoffed "Sucky introduction to the States." He replied, making Emric chuckle. "Well, you can take me again one day." Darius smiled through the bars at his... boyfriend? "We'll get out of here. Then, Emric St. Mesa, I promise I will take you to New York at Christmas time."</p><p>
  <strong>November 2003:</strong>
</p><p>"Two more months. Just two more months, then you can have the feed of a lifetime." Darius said as Emric passed Darius his food ration through the bars. He was weak, his body drained and pale. Emric looked far too fragile for Darius’ liking, but one cup of water and slice of bread a day is nowhere near enough for a man to go on. If they wanted to get out, Darius needed the six extra rations Emric was giving him. "Yeah, New Years' Eve has never come around so slowly." Emric drawled miserably. Darius smiled comfortingly as him. "Just... concentrate on getting out of here. Think about it... in two months, two months... we'll be away from here forever. You've been in here for five years, Emric! What's two more months compared to five years?" He said with a grin that Emric quickly returned.<br/>
"You're right, as usual. God, I can't wait." He said, laying his head back against the wall with a sigh. </p><p>
  <strong>1st January 2004:</strong>
</p><p>"Darius, don't leave me here." Emric begged. Darius looked at the bars, they were burning hot from the flames raging around them. "Emric, I... I can't." He locked eyes with his boyfriend. If he was to get out of this alive, Darius had to stop caring about his lover. "I'm sorry, Emric." Emric’s face went white as it dawned on him what Darius was about to do.<br/>
"No. No, Darius! Darius, please, I'm begging you." He pleaded. "Don't leave me with them. Don't leave me to die here." Darius looked over Emric’s beautiful face one last time. He'd never forgive him for this... ever. "I love you, Emricanio St. Mesa." With that, Darius closed his eyes. "No. NO! Darius! Darius, don't! Please!" Darius looked directly into Emric’s eyes, all emotion gone. Then, he turned around and walked away. </p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>Present day:</strong>
</p><p>"One of the doctors, Watkins, just so happened to have the key to the cage on him. He woke up and saved me in order to 'complete his experiments'. That's how I got out of the fire, and I've been at his mercy ever since." Emric concluded. Santiago looked over at Darius in shock, only to see that his older brother's face was blank and tears had filled his eyes. Santiago’s face morphed into sympathy at the sight of Darius’ uncharacteristic vulnerability. </p><p>"Darius?" He said quietly, drawing the others' attention to the older man. Darius cleared his throat, blinked, then wiped his eyes and sniffed. "Hm? Oh." He said, realising everyone was watching him. "You never told me you fell in love with anyone else." Santiago said. Darius shook his head.<br/>
"That's 'cause you never asked, Santiago! You never cared! You were too busy with your career, sucking up to officers, to even wonder if I'd moved on!" Santiago had the decency to look slightly guilty. "Yeah, I know. I'm sorry." Darius shook his head again, then turned to Emric. </p><p>"No. I am." Emric just looked at him. "I refused to let myself feel anything until 2010, I didn't care if you were alive or dead. If Santiago hadn't have stayed with me and forced me to feel again, it would have remained that way a lot longer. I went back to my hometown to look for Katerina. But Emric, I swear, had I been in the right mindset and I'd have heard even so much as a whisper that you were still live, I would've gone back for you in a heartbeat." Emric smiled at him, then looked at Eden. </p><p>"Forgive me." He said with a smirk. With that, Emric gently turned Darius’ chiseled face towards his own and leaned over to kiss him. Darius heard Santiago and Eden gasp but, for the first time in fifteen years, Darius Sachwell let himself get lost in Emric St. Mesa.</p><p>"I forgave you a long time ago, Darius." Emric murmured, pressing their foreheads together as they caught their breath. Both were uncaring of Darius’ little brother and girlfriend still watching them carefully. "You moved on. That's okay, but... I still love you, Darius Sachwell."</p><p>
  <strong>END OF PART ONE</strong>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>PART 2:</strong>
</p><p>Emric was gone before Darius had even opened his eyes, swiftly leaving the MedBay. He remained stood where Emric had left him, his hands now holding the air where Emric’s face had just been. He knew Santiago and Eden were gaping at him, could practically feel the shock protruding off of them, but Darius couldn't care less. Emric had forgiven him, he still loved him, and Darius loved...Eden.</p><p>Darius’ hands dropped and he closed his eyes again, except this time in sadness. He loved Eden. "You moved on. That's okay, but... I still love you, Darius Sachwell." Emric’s words bounced around his head, reminding him again and again of his first true love. Katerina had been nothing more than a manipulation, but Emric? Emric’s love had been pure, whole. It had filled Darius’ body like the blood in his veins, his lovesick heart beating it around him and keeping him alive.</p><p>And Darius thought he'd destroyed it. He thought it had been scorched in the fire along with Emric himself, burning into ashes alongside Darius’ emotionless heart. Darius thought he'd lost Emric for good, thought what they had would never be found again... until he met Eden.</p><p>Sure, Eden looking similar to Katerina had been what immediately caught his eye, but he was drawn to Eden’s personality. Her compassion, her selflessness... it was the complete opposite to what Darius was, who he had taught himself to be. Eden had brought back the good in him, lit the candle hidden within the depths of his cold heart.</p><p>Emric hadn't lit the candle. He'd started a fire. </p><p>Kind of ironic really. Darius thought. Emric’s love had been passionate, caring, dangerous and unrequited, all at once... and Darius craved it. He craved the intimate touches through the bars in between the cells, longed for the few nights a year they got to spend together in Darius’ cell. Darius yearned for the feel of Emric’s warm body against his, the younger man's breath on his neck as they huddled against each other. </p><p>Eden just didn't do that to him. Darius wanted to protect Eden, wanted to care for her. he thought he loved her, but Emric’s return had made him question so much so suddenly and so soon it was as though Darius had never met Eden. Eden always wanted to be held, to be comforted and loved, which was fair enough. But sometimes... sometimes Darius wanted to be held and comforted and loved. He could never admit that to her, though. And that was the problem.</p><p>Because he could tell Emric that. He and Emric had held, loved and comforted one another so many times it was almost normal to them, and that's what Darius found so... nice. Emric knew he was brave and strong, almost fearless and absolutely terrifying when he's mad. Darius knew that Emric was a great fighter, resilient and fearsome. Yet Emric also knew what hurt Darius, knew of everything that had ever upset him. And Darius knew everything that had ever caused Emric pain, the names of every person who had ever broken him.</p><p>Which then brought him back onto Eden. He didn't trust Eden with that kind of information, didn't feel comfortable enough to tell her the deep, dark secrets that were Darius Sachwell's emotions. In the time he'd known Eden, he'd barely told her anything about his past yet, in the same amount of time, Emric had known just about Darius’ entire life story. Where Darius had been instantly drawn to Emric and knew as soon as he met him that he could be trusted, Eden had taken a bit of time to grow on him, and even longer to actually trust her with anything.</p><p>More than a few times, Eden had pushed Darius to tell her things he wasn't sure he wanted to tell her. She'd literally slapped him twice because he made a decision she didn't like and then she had never bothered to apologise. Alongside that, she had reprimanded him for simply being himself or expressing his thoughts. She'd manipulated, used and betrayed him more times than he can count, usually just because she needed something. He knew why she did it: to make him feel again. To make him face his past. To teach him how to allow himself to feel remorse, guilt, love and pain... all of which he had shut out since Santiago set him straight in 2010. He might have allowed himself to feel again, but the emotions connected to Emric had been too great. Eden had tried to make him feel those emotions again, but Darius hated it. Hated it because that kind of manipulation was not what he was taught to expect from love.</p><p>Love with Emric had gone both ways. Darius respected Emric, Emric respected Darius. Neither of them had ever allowed themselves to be selfish with the other, they'd always done everything together. Emric never pushed Darius to tell him anything, and Darius never pushed Emric. They'd always been aware of each others' boundaries, but allowed a toe over the line every now and then when they knew it was in each others' best interests.</p><p>So Darius was confused. Emric had been so much better than Eden ever had, he'd taken the time to get to know the real Darius and loved him as that person, where Eden had tried to change and morph him so he could fit into the perfect mould she had created in her little mind. </p><p>"Uh, Darius?" Darius wasn't aware his brother and girlfriend were still watching him, observing his reaction closely. Darius cleared his throat and blinked a few times- he also apparently didn't realise he'd been daydreaming for almost five minutes. "Sorry, I, uh... I probably should have told you that Emric just so happens to be my..." Darius took a deep breath. "Ex...boyfriend." He said, his heart tightening slightly in pain over the word 'ex'.</p><p>"That's what you say? Darius, someone just kissed you... while I'm standing right here and all you say is that you should have told me?" Eden demanded. Darius couldn't believe his ears. "Are you kidding me?" Darius shouted, pivoting on his heel to face Eden. "I'm sorry if the first person I ever loved just came back after I thought he'd died fifteen years ago!" Eden took a couple of steps back when Darius’ face turned red with anger. Santiago  held a hand out to him in warning, but Darius ignored him, his face going back to normal.</p><p>"Eden, I loved Emric, alright? We were the only decent person each other knew while we were at Axford, we dragged each other out of hell several times over. And when I left Emric in that fire, I thought I killed him. It was my biggest regret, what made me practically emotionless for so long. Eden, Emric’s death hurt me more than anything ever has, and he's just come back. So can you hold off on the reprimanding for one day and let me enjoy this!"</p><p>Eden and Santiago stared at him in shock for a few seconds then, as expected, Eden turned to Santiago. "Santiago..." But the youngest Sachwell shook his head. "No. No, he's right. Go on, Darius." With a nod at his brother, Darius left the house, following his long lost love.</p><p> </p><p>"Emric?" Darius called into the darkness of the forest. Night had fallen, yet Darius still wandered around the woods in search of Emric. "Emric, come on man! Don't just leave me hanging!"</p><p>"Why not?" Darius spun around so quickly the leaves under his feet scattered. "Emric." He gasped, taking in the man before him. "Darius." Emric drawled in his usual low, British accent. "What did you want?" The younger man asked, raising his chin slightly. </p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>October 2002:</strong>
</p><p>Emric stuck his chin out at Watkins. "You take me. I've had nothing for three days, he's had enough. So you take me." He growled, his voice low and dangerous. Darius, injured and broken, having had his vocal chords recently torn out, laid on the cold stone floor of his cell and felt shivers run down his spine at the sound of it. Watkins chuckled. "Well, well. Seems your little boyfriend here wants to come and save the day, 21051!" Through the bars in their cell, Darius saw Emric raise his chin a little higher. "Damn right. Darius had had enough, you have me."</p><p>Watkins had been considerable enough that day to take Emric instead of Darius, but Darius will never forget the aftermath: Emric being literally thrown back into his own cell, his chest cut open and him groaning in pain. Darius had tried his best to comfort Emric, but he could hardly speak himself. Since then, Darius had noticed that, every single time Watkins came to take Emric, the man had his chin raised.</p><p>At first, Darius merely thought it was a power move, something to show Watkins that he wasn't afraid. But Emric had later confided in Darius that it was actually something that helped him to feel braver, more confident. His father had always told him to do it, to stick his chin up when he wasn't feeling confident. So now, when Emric raised his chin at Darius, the older man knew the tell: Emric felt inferior to Darius.</p><p>"Emric, I... I was in love with you...once." Darius began, taking a steadying breath to calm his racing heart. "And I won't deny that, not to anyone anymore. I was in love with you, Emric. Like, head over heels kind of love. You loved me for who I am, rather than basing your love on an image you created of me. You loved me, and you cared for me and you helped me in what was probably my second darkest time, the first being when Santiago dragged me out of my own head." As Darius spoke, he could see Emric’s eyes flickering between emotions. Sadness...love and... hope?</p><p>"And when I thought you were gone, I..." Darius’ voice failed him. There was no way he could voice the pain he felt when he turned his emotions back on, couldn't find the words to express the agony that tore at his chest as he cried into Santiago’s shoulder for so many days afterwards. Emric’s death had ripped him to shreds, torn him into pieces like paper going through a shredder.</p><p>"It hurt me, too." Emric admitted, stepping closer to Darius. "I felt betrayed, alone. You left me in that fire, Darius. It took all of the love I have for you and the realisation that you had to stop caring to do it for me to forgive you." Darius gulped. "I hated you for those first years after you left. But not for what you did. I hated you because, despite everything you had done..." As Emric spoke, he moved further and further into Darius’ personal space. </p><p>"...all I wanted to do was forgive you. And I hated you for having that effect on me. When all of my attempts to hate you failed. When just the mere thought of you... your voice and your head on my shoulder... the thought of any of it made me fall for you all over again, ten times more." Darius swallowed again as Emric finally reached him, their faces barely ten inches apart.</p><p>Darius could see deep into the eyes of Emric St. Mesa. The dark irises shone with love and forgiveness, hope and desire. Darius was practically engulfed in it, immersed in the light that was Emric’s optimistic affection. He could feel it drawing him in like it used to, intertwining their souls in an invisible, mystical glow. And Darius knew it was wrong, he had a girlfriend for God's sake, but he let himself be drawn in. </p><p>Darius and Emric were like two opposite ends of magnets, pulled closer and closer together by an unseeable force. The two of them were sharing air, their noses not even three inches apart... Darius could feel Emric’s breath on his face... the pull got stronger the closer they got, until their lips graced over one another's...</p><p>Electricity coursed through Damon’s body when their lips finally met. It was like a firework going on within him, igniting his blood, his skin, his heart. He took Emric’s face in his hands and deepened the kiss, craving more heat, more passion. Emric responded just as eagerly, giving in to Damon's dominant grip, feeling the strong need to make up for fifteen years of missed love. </p><p>Darius pushed Emric against a nearby tree, both men's hands running frantically over each other's body, wanting... needing to feel the contact they'd both longed for for so long, needing to readjust themselves to one another's bodies; to be reeducated on every dip and curve, every muscle and bone.</p><p>Dusk turned to night as Darius ripped Emric’s shirt off.</p><p>PAGEBREAK</p><p>"Finally! Did you find him?" Darius only gave a nod in his brother's direction as he hung his jacket up on one of the coat hangers in the dorm. Santiago was sat on the couch, twisting over the side as he spoke to Darius. "Where is he? Is he okay?" Darius nodded again, pouring himself a bourbon and downing it in one, then pouring another. "Are you?" Darius paused. Santiago was now stood up, looking at him with mild concern. </p><p>"Where's Eden?" Santiago sighed. He hated it when Darius avoided that question, and Darius knew it. "She's in her room, waiting for you. Why?" Darius didn't say anything, just moved closer and whispered urgently. "I kinda sorta maybe... kissed Emric again." Santiago’s mouth dropped open. "Wait... you kissed Emric, not the other way around?" Darius nodded. Santiago sighed and ran a hand over his face, leaving it covering his mouth. "You need to tell Eden." Darius groaned. "I know... I just know she isn't gonna take it well."</p><p>"Of course she isn't, Darius!" Santiago whisper-shouted. "You kissed someone else! A guy, no less! Of course she isn't going to take this well!" Darius groaned again, running a hand through his hair. He turned around and gripped the edge of the couch, bowing his head and leaning on it. "Then she really isn't going to like what happened after I kissed him." </p><p>As Darius straightened up and faced his brother again, Santiago’s eyes widened.</p><p>PAGEBREAK</p><p>"Please don't tell me you slept with him." Eden said, standing up from the bed. Darius nodded and her mouth dropped open, tears filling her eyes. "Darius..." She gasped. Darius grimaced and went over to her, holding onto her shoulders. "Eden, I need to explain something to you. Can you listen to me?" Eden seemed too hurt and in shock to reply, so she just nodded. Darius gave her a small, grateful smile, then glanced over at Santiago, who was watching by the door.</p><p>Darius and Eden sat opposite each other on top of the covers, cross-legged. Darius’ heart was pounding with nerves. He couldn't explain himself, there was no getting out of this. A few years ago, this was normal behaviour for Darius. But now? Now Darius could almost be deemed as 'good'. Almost. He felt bad for doing this to Eden, but at the same time, he didn't. She'd done terrible things to him before; using his feelings for her to get what she wants no matter how he feels about it. Manipulating him into doing things for her, using him to get attention from Santiago and using Santiago as a way to hurt Darius.</p><p>"I am sorry. Truly, I am. But I'm not sorry for doing it. I'm sorry for hurting you." Eden gasped again, her face contorting with anger. "Oh, so you don't even regret it? I see how much I mean to you now, Darius. How easy it was to replace me with someone who's been dead to you for fifteen years." Eden snarled, making Darius’ heart drop.</p><p>"Eden, he was never dead to me." Darius said calmly, almost sadly. "His death was one that hurt me more than anything ever had.” Eden looked at him in disbelief. "So you never even stopped loving him? What was I, a distraction? Something to make you feel better?” Darius shook his head. "No, Eden. No, you weren't. When I thought Emric was dead... I was broken. The first few weeks or so after I first felt pain again in 2010 were the worst of my life. Ask Santiago, he was their for about three days after."</p><p>Eden glanced at Santiago, who nodded, stepping further into the room. "Darius was a whole other man when he realised what he’d done. I'd never seen anyone the way he was, especially not him. I nearly told him to shut it off again." Eden shook her head, tears now falling down her face. "I don't believe you. No matter how broken you were, it's no excuse, Darius." Darius turned his head in Santiago’s direction, but didn't look at his brother. "San, could you..." Darius trailed off, but Santiago got the message. "Are you sure?" At Darius’ nod, Santiago sat next to Eden and began retelling the story. </p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>November 2010:</strong>
</p><p>"You had a nightmare last night." Santiago said to his brother. Darius turned away from him and began walking aimlessly around the clearing they were in. "I'm aware of that, thank you Santiago."</p><p>Santiago followed him, although he stayed a bit behind, out of arms' reach. He wasn't that stupid, he still kept in mind that Darius would hit him without hesitation. "What was it about?" Darius scoffed and glanced over his shoulder at his brother. "I do not need to have a heart-to-heart with you, little brother." Santiago chuckled and stuffed his hands in his pockets, changing tactic.</p><p>"Then at least tell me who ‘Emric’ is." Darius came to a sudden halt, so Santiago also paused his movements. "How do you know that name?" Darius asked, his voice low. He didn't even look at Santiago. "You were saying it in your sleep. Over and over again. You said you were sorry, that you didn't want to leave him... that you shouldn't have." There was silence for a few minutes. Santiago could practically hear the cogs churning in Darius’ brain. It was working... Santiago was getting closer to his emotions.</p><p>"Who was he, Darius?" Santiago asked when his brother didn't reply. "An old friend." Darius said, then started walking again in an obvious attempt to brush off Santiago’s question. "And you left him? Why? What happened?" Darius stopped again and turned to face Santiago, fury written all over his chiseled face. "How about you just stop tryna get me to feel, Santiago? I haven’t for six years, it ain't gonna happen now just because you ask a few questions about my dead best friend!" Darius snapped, then shut his mouth as though he'd just revealed his darkest secret. </p><p>"He was your best friend?" Darius shoved Santiago with a snarl and turned his back on him, walking away from him. "You can't run from it, Darius!" Santiago called after his brother. Darius stopped. "Whatever you did, I know it hurt you. I know it still does, otherwise you'd have been fine by now." Suddenly, Darius sprinted over to Santiago. The older man shoved him hard and he fell to the ground. "You don't know crap about me!" Darius shouted down at his brother. "You left me in the ‘90s! I disappeared, and you took it upon yourself to just accept it and not bother looking for me!" Santiago just looked up at his brother. This was good, Darius was angry. Santiago needed to keep it that way.</p><p>"Yeah, I did. I thought you were gone for good. I saw nothing of you, nobody had for a whole year when I actually looked at the case in 2000." Darius punched Santiago in the face with a grunt. "How could you? I could've been dead for all you knew!" He yelled.<br/>
"Then where were you?" Santiago shouted back. "Where did you go, because nobody could find you anywhere!" That silenced Damon.</p><p>"That's how I realised you were missing, not just off the grid. I looked at every bombing and attack across the country 1999-2000 and I didn't see your name on any of the dead lists.. So where were you, Darius? Tell me." Santiago said, his voice getting lower and softer as he spoke, almost comforting as he said 'tell me'. He was still laying on the ground, propped up on his elbows and looking up at his brother. But Darius wasn't looking at him.</p><p>Darius was looking off to the left. His face looked overwhelmed, like he was reliving the last eleven years of his life all over again. "We met by chance." He replied quietly after a short silence. He sat down on the grass opposite Santiago, who sat up in order to look at his brother properly. "Emric was the only decent guy in the place where I was. Over time, we got closer. We became best friends. I learnt everything there was to know about him, he learnt everything there was to know about me. Emric was the best friend I hadn't had since me and you were friends."<br/>
Santiago remained silent as he listened to his brother's tale. He'd never heard this before, had never known that Darius had had someone he trusted so much. </p><p>Darius’ voice was starting to shake, therefore Santiago didn't interrupt him. Something told the younger Sachwell that this was the first time Darius had ever told anyone about ‘Emric’. "In 2004, we got caught in a fire." Darius’ voice broke. "I- I... I left him. I had to." When Santiago moved his gaze from the ground to Darius’ face, he noticed his brother's eyes were filled with tears.</p><p>"He was my best friend... and I left him." Darius gasped, a tear falling from his eye and trickling down his cheek. "Darius..." Santiago tried to reply, but Darius shook his head. "No. No, I don't want sympathy. I don't deserve it." He choked. "E-Emric was my best friend... my best friend... he trusted me and I just... I just abandoned him." Darius said, then he bowed his head and did something Santiago didn't think he was capable of anymore. Darius Sachwell, his arrogant older brother who had been practically emotionless for nearly six years... cried.</p><p>Santiago watched him for a minute, unable to comprehend what was happening. Darius was crying. Darius... was crying. Once he'd come to his senses, Santiago moved closer and hesitantly placed a hand on his brother's back. Darius tensed and looked up into Santiago’s face. What the younger man saw was enough to nearly make him cry.</p><p>Darius looked broken. His face was streaked with tears, eyes red and puffy and his expression was that of someone who was destroyed. "I killed him, Santiago." Darius’ face crumpled, and he fell into Santiago’s embrace, grabbing a fistful of his brother's shirt and crying into his chest.</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>Present day:</strong>
</p><p>"That's how he was for the entire time I was with him." Santiago said once he’s finished his story. "Emric death affected me more than anything ever had, Eden. To find out he's alive was... was like reliving that pain all over again except this time it was tinged with relief. Relief in the knowledge that at least he was still alive." After a long thought, Eden nodded.</p><p>"I haven't forgiven you for what you've done, that's going to take a long time." Darius nodded, although it felt kind of hypocritical considering Eden thinks she can use, abuse and manipulate Darius to her heart's content and she expected him to forgive her instantly. "What do you want to do?"</p><p>Darius’ head shot up from burning a hole in the blankets. "W-what?" Eden wiped away her tears and looked Darius straight in the eye. "What do you want to do?" Darius swallowed thickly. A large part of him was screaming for him to choose Eden, for him to go back to the man he first fell in love with and live the life they had dreamed of building together since 1999. Another, smaller part of him was meekly telling him to go to Eden, who he had loved for barely a few years, constantly acting like her bitch because of his feelings for her.</p><p>"I want... I want Emric." More tears fell down Eden’s cheeks as Darius looked at the blankets again in half-hearted shame. "I love him, Eden." He said, tears of his own dripping onto the bed. "I love him more than I've ever loved anyone else." That was probably the wrong thing to say, but it was the truth. His heart yearned for Emric.</p><p>Surprisingly, Darius felt Santiago’s hand come to rest on his back comfortingly. "It's okay." Eden whispered after a while. Darius raised his head, Santiago’s hand remaining on his back. "It's okay if you want to go to him, I understand. You two didn't break up, Emric just died... kind of. I can get why you never lost feelings for him." Eden chose the perfect time to be understanding.</p><p>"Thank you." Darius whispered back. "I don't expect you to... forgive me. But thank you for letting me be with Emric." Eden nodded and stood up from the bed again. "I'm gonna go to Claire’s for the night, let us both get our head around things." Darius nodded then, as she walked away, called after her.</p><p>"Maybe don't tell ClaireBear the specifics tonight." He said as Eden turned to face him and Santiago’s hand fell away. "Don't need a phone call-induced headache while I'm trying to think things over." Eden gave him an amused half-smile, nodded, then left the room. </p><p>"You did the right thing." Santiago said as Darius sighed, covering his face with his hands and collapsing onto the bed. "Did I?" He groaned, his voice slightly muffled with his hands. "I just broke up with my girlfriend after I slept with a guy I've loved since 1999, who apparently died... in 2004." Santiago chuckled slightly, then walked around to the other side of the bed and jumped onto it, laying next to his brother. </p><p>"Yeah... yeah it is a bit weird, isn't it?" The brothers laughed a little, then fell silent for a short while before Darius broke it.</p><p>"I love him, Santiago."</p><p>"I know you do, Darius."</p>
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